New York Dutch Lions FC All Star trip another success

Published onJuly 19, 2019July 19, 2019

Dayton, June 20, 2019

New York Dutch Lions FC All Star Team III had several soccer legends, with former World Cup finalists, World Cup (for teams) winners, European Championship winners, Champions League winners, UEFA Cup winners and Europa Cup winners. There were 14 former National Team players from teams like Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Ajax, PSV, Feyenoord, Aston Villa, Glasgow Rangers, Schalke and Deportivo La Coruna. Combined they played over 5000 professional games. The team was coached by John Rep and Foppe de Haan. On June 14 they traveled to the big Apple, arriving at JFK Airport at 12pm. After going through customs, they traveled to Manhattan and checked in at the Gansevoort Meatpacking Hotel. After a short rest (and some a visit to the rooftop pool and bar), the team then walked to Bryant Park to enjoy dinner on a terrace overlooking the park, before taking the metro back for a meet & greet on the amazing rooftop bar of the hotel.On day two the All Stars visited the impressive “ground zero memorial” in the morning, and then took a boat tour on the Hudson river also passing the statue of liberty. Between 4-5.30pm the players and coaches participated in a great soccer clinic for kids, sponsored by Sportiff Company, the official NYDL FC gear partner. After the kid’s clinic and a pasta dinner it was time for the annual game vs Central Park Soccer, a team that consists of Dutch expats working in New York. It was a tight game this year with a stronger CPS than previous years. The game ended in 5-2 win for the All Stars, with goals by Michael Mols, Roy Makaay, Kenneth Perez and Erik Tammer (2x). Same as last year both teams visited House of Que (across from the impressive Sinatra Park Soccer Field) after the game for some drinks together. On day three the team went on a bike tour crossing the Brooklyn Bridge and also biking through downtown Manhattan. After the bike tour the team went to a baseball game of the New York Mets in the beautiful Citi Field filled with almost 50.000 fans. On the way back they stopped at Madison Square, Broadway and Times Square and walked "the Highline" back to the hotel. On day four the players, coaches and staff were free to do what they liked, before the bus took them to JFK around 6pm for their flight back to Amsterdam. Overall another great trip!